King?
by The Storyologist
Summary: It hadn't taken Eugene long to put the pieces together: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl turns out to be the lost princess, boy asks for girl's hand in marriage, and... oh no.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Tangled_ or any of its characters.**

**Author's note in next chapter ;)**

Prologue

Call it what you will: Fate, Destiny… It had a plan for poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert from the moment he was born. Something _had_ brought him to that tower, though at the time he didn't know it. You might call it a foreshadowing; it had all started with taking the crown. Had he ever dreamed of stumbling across a hidden tower in the forest while being chased by palace guards? No. Was he prepared for being knocked unconscious with a frying pan by the spirited girl who lived there, then forced into escorting said girl all the way back to the kingdom to see the lanterns of the Lost Princess? Of course not. Did he plan on finding a friend in the girl, coming to care for her, feeling her change him into a new man, _falling in love_ with her underneath those glowing lanterns? _Absolutely_ not. And he most certainly wasn't prepared to find out that she herself was the Lost Princess. Flynn Rider had one dream: to be Flynn Rider. To live a life of swashbuckling adventure and excitement, then when it was over, rest on a small, remote island, alone.

But Destiny had other things in mind.

Eugene's world was flipped upside down the day he met Rapunzel. The night that he realized he loved her, it was turned right-side upside again. But this time things looked different. The crown didn't glimmer like it used to, compared to the way her smile shined in the starlight. For the first time in his life, he knew he was in the right place, at the right time, for the right reason, with the right person. It was crystal clear; he was where he was meant to be. The battles that followed were only Destiny at work, writing the story so that it's happily ever after would be the perfect ending to a heartfelt adventure. And that ending was just the beginning of the story.

All of the sudden, so much was happening to Eugene that he could hardly keep up with it all. First and foremost, he helped Rapunzel return home, and the kingdom rejoiced. Then, to his overwhelming gratitude, he watched as The King redeem him of every crime, every bounty, every death sentence, assuring the bandit that he would begin a new life from that day forward. Only months later he'd been knighted: Sir Fitzherbert the Saviour, Seeker of the Lost Princess, Knight of Corona… he knew he could never deserve the tittles, but he would be always proud to wear the coat of arms. Then, (though he'd expected to have to beg The King and Queen for their permission, they granted it willingly) it was announced that The King and Queen had given their approval to the courtship of their daughter and Sir Fitzherbert. No doubt, that had to be Eugene's favorite part.

He was so happy, happier than he'd ever been in his life. He had everything he'd ever dreamed of, complete with a castle for a home, and it all added up to nothing compared to Rapunzel. Everything was happening so fast that he couldn't see where it all was headed, and what Destiny was doing with his life. Destiny had arranged a string of events, one leading to another, always constant never ceasing, so rapid that Eugene could only ride along and watch them unfold.

But this time, it hadn't taken him long to put the pieces together.

Boy meets girl; boy falls for girl; girl turns out to be legendary Lost Princess; boy returns princess home to her kingdom; boy is knighted for his heroic deed; boy courts princess; boy asks for princess's hand in marriage…

When he'd realized what came next, it hit him over the back of the head with all the force of a cast iron frying pan.

Boy becomes prince.

Prince becomes King.


	2. Inquiry

**Tangled is property of Disney. I make no claim.**

**Hey Tangled fans! Welcome to the show! I've been on this sight for quite some time now, but this is my first ever full length story. Most people just know me as the geek who reads and reviews and acts like she knows everything ;) Anyway, this is going to be a multichapter story about Eugene, Rapunzel, and they're taking on the throne together, but mostly about Eugene: from thief to prince. POV's may change from time to time. Please let me know how I'm doing as the chapters come! I want to do this right :)**

**Chapters will be up once a week AT MOST. What with school beginning soon, I may not be able to work on this much. Also, if and when you review, constructive critism and honest opinions are the best: if you hate it, please let me know (just don't flame me :P I have a small phobia of flames). Thankyou for reading, and hope you enjoy**** the show!**

**-Story **

Chapter 1: Inquiry

Without a doubt, there was nothing more intimidating than approaching the throne room, on a Tuesday afternoon, with the sun shining, as it always did in Corona. After experiencing it several times, he'd come to this conclusion. Of course, he could handle daring theft missions, strung arrows and sharpened swords, so long as he had a good frying pan at hand. He could leap over the widest rooftops, scuttle across the highest ledges, and scale the tallest towers in a style that put Peter Pan to shame. Death itself? He'd come face to face with that, even been defeated by it, and was not afraid. But going before The King on a sunshiny Tuesday, particularly with a question as unnerving as the one he had today… now that was something he was prone to freak out about.

Eugene's hands were shaking when he approached the heavy wooden doors of the throne room, even though he'd just spent a good hour or so ringing them just to keep them still. For a moment, he considered turning and running away, like the fugitive bandit that he once was. But what was the point? Sooner or later, he would need an answer to the question on his mind, and he'd only have to ring his hands again.

He knocked carefully.

"Enter." The king's voice was deep and official. Eugene gulped.

When the novice knight finally opened the door, he found His Excellency seated comfortably in his throne at the end of the room, dressed in his crown and white fur capes, his eyes fixed intently on a book behind a large pair of spectacles. He looked up when Eugene entered, and welcome filled his eyes.

"Sir Fitzherbert!" He beckoned cheerfully, "Come in lad, come in."

"Hi—er, Your Majesty."

As he squeezed through the chamber doors, Eugene felt somewhat like a hopeless mouse. He had to remind himself to stop, bow, take his hand off of his sword hilt, and look chivalrous. Life as a thief was a life without protocol; life as a royal knight on the other hand was full of it, and he was still studying.

The King smiled over his book. "Is all well with thee?"

"Yes Sire. Everything is fine." _Liar Liar, tights on fire—_he shut his conscious up. "Um, what's that you're reading there?" _Good move._

His majesty looked down at the book in his hands. "This?" he asked, cocking a royal looking eyebrow, "Ah, it's called _Sir Malcolm and the Missing Prince._ I found it in the palace library the other day and have not been able to put it down since."

"That good?"

"Oh, outstanding! I do believe every man in the kingdom should read it. Men and boys alike. In fact I believe Christmas will find every knight in my court with his own printed copy of this book. How would that be?"

"That'd be…" the knight's mind raced for the right word. "Great."

Fail at trying to be chivalrous. No matter; step one was complete, and the ice was broken. Over the past year, Rapunzel had noticed that her father spent most of his time in the library, and always had some great author or philosopher to quote around the royal dinning table. She shared this with Eugene, telling him how she always asked about his reading before asking bigger questions, and it always seemed to work. No surprise though. Spoiled brat got _everything_ she wanted just by batting those pretty, green, long-missed eyes. Man, he loved that girl.

Smiling still, The King closed the book and folded his spectacles in his lap, and then looked up at his visitor with an interested face. "Now," he said cheerfully, "What may I do for you my son?"

My son. The thought warmed him, yet sent chills through him at the same time. Shifting his weight from one boot to the other, Eugene began the speech he'd prepared.

"Well Your Highness," he stammered, "I have a… um… question that I'm hoping you can answer."

"What sort of a question?"

"Uh, it's about the law."

"…The law?"

The sudden confusion on His Majesty's face was a little too much to bear. "Yes, ah-h…" the young man laughed casually, "Just trying to keep up with my studies and all! You can never know too much about the law." Coming from a man who'd been wanted nearly his whole life, this sounded very insincere.

"Well, ask away." said The King.

The ex-thief rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I was wondering, um… Rapunzel."

The King's brow furrowed. "Rapunzel?"

"Yeah."

"…What about her?"

"Well, ah, it's just… Rapunzel's the royal heir to the throne, correct?"

The King closed his eyes, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Well, if_ I_ have my way, she will be, but the choice is hers. It's uncommon in neighboring kingdoms for a female to take the throne alone, and the fact that Rapunzel has been missing for the past eighteen years doesn't help matters. Nerveless, I believe she's just as fit to rule as any man, and when the time comes, she'll claim her right to the throne."

"So… if everything works out, Rapunzel will be queen someday?"

"Someday when she is ready."

The knight bit down on the edge of his lip. Question one answered: Rapunzel would indeed be queen (if she so desired, which he knew better than anyone that she did). Now it was on to question two: what happens if a man asks for Rapunzel's hand marriage? But he wasn't sure how to approach it. A small piece of Flynn Rider in him said to pull out the old smolder, but he ignored it.

Shifting his weight again, Eugene softly cleared his throat. "So… if it's so… _uncommon_ for a girl to claim the throne herself, then… is the princess held to any laws of… _matrimony_?" he rushed the word out as fast as he could.

The King's eyes went wide for a moment, and Eugene thought he would pass out.

"Well, she may marry whom she desires." said The King, aside with casually consideration, "Whom she deems worthy. Forced marriages are not customary here."

"And what happens to him? Whom she deems worthy, I mean."

_Moment of truth; here it comes._

The King didn't make eye contact with the the young man; perhaps it was the young man who was avoiding eye contact with The King. He said the answer as if it was completely obvious. It was.

"He'll be king, of course."

There it was, question two answered: whoever Rapunzel married would be king, ruler, His Majesty, His Excellency, responsible for an entire kingdom, and all would look to him for their needs. He would be in charge of armies, lawmakers, scribes, counselors, lords, nobilities, and would have to keep peace with neighboring kingdoms. An entire nation would be in his hands; it would be his to take care of. And who… _who on earth_ was worthy of _that?_

Eugene gulped. "King, eh?"

His Majesty nodded.

"Your Majesty, doesn't it seem sort of… _risky_ to just give the crown to any guy that comes along?"

Much to his surprise, The King laughed out loud. "Perhaps, but I have great faith in my daughter. Her decision will be wise."

Her decision would be wise. Of course it would be. Rapunzel was the wisest person Eugene has ever known. Too wise for him. So wouldn't it be very _unwise_, if he got down on one knee in front of her, cradling a ring box in his hand, to say "yes"?

Then within him, the war began to rage.

_Do it._

_No! I'm not ready!_

_Move it Rider. Onto question three._

_I can't! Not now! What if he says no!_

_Do it._

Deep breath… here goes nothing.

"Sire…" Something in the way he said the tittle caused The King to look up again (His Highness must have really liked that book, what with the way his eyes kept drifting to it), "I know my… background isn't the most desirable." he began, shamefully.

_Pause politely. Don't seem too hasty._

The King listened.

"And I know that I've got a lot on my record that isn't too admirable."

_Pause_.

The King listened.

"And I know that after everything you've done for, I-I shouldn't be asking for anything else, but…"

_Pause again. Good._

The King averted his eyes back down to _Sir Malcolm and the Missing Prince_. Yep, this was going nowhere.

Time to cut to the chase.

"I was wondering if I'd have your permission to…" and at that, he trailed off.

He trailed off because The King had just looked back up, with sparkling eyes. Eyes that knew exactly what was coming next. Eyes that read his mind. Eyes that were suddenly aware every thought that had been hanging on Eugene's conscious for the past year. Eyes that begged to know if even Eugene was aware of the weight in the question he was asking. A giant, knowing, anticipating smile had suddenly spread across His Majesty's face. And all of the sudden, it was just too much.

No. Not today. Now wasn't the time

"Too escort Rapunzel to the Festival of Lights this year!" He blurted out. It was the first reasonable sounding thing that came to mind.

To his relief, the knowing twinkle in The King's eyes disappeared, and his brow furrowed. "The Festival of Lights?" He asked, "But it's not for three months."

Slightly epic fail. Still, it could have been much worse.

"I know, Sire, but, um…" Caught off his guard, Eugene couldn't think of an explanation, so he kept it simple, "Well… I was just hoping to get your permission in advance."

With his brow still furrowed, The King looked from side to side in confusion. "Well… I see no reason why not my boy. You are the _only_ knight she is courting, after all."

Eugene shrugged anxiously. "It just seemed appropriate to ask." he confessed with a nervous chuckle.

Again, The King smiled. "Absolutely," he said warmly. "Said like a true knight, Sir Fitzherbert. And I am glad that you asked me, my boy. Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

He hesitated, knowing there was still a chance. But putting his hands together, he bowed, and said only, "No, thank you, Sire. I'll let you get back to your reading now." With that, he turned towards the door and prepared to run.

The King laughed softly behind him. "Good day Sir Fitzherbert. And if there is _ever_ anything else you need to ask me, please feel free to do so."

"Absolutely Sire!" Eugene called over his shoulder, and then the heavy wooden doors of the throne chamber were closed behind him.

_Well, that went well. _


	3. Me, King!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tangled. Man, I can see why people get so tired of this disclaimer stuff.**

Chapter 2: Me, King?

Eugene wanted to slap himself as he retreated. _Hard_.

He stole away down the corridor, as far away from the throne room as he possibly could get, running in the same manner that he would if he had just stolen the lost princess's tiara. He might as well have been carrying a satchel with the crown jewels glittering inside. In nine years of and heinous crimes and rotten deeds, he'd never felt more like a thieving bandit until that moment.

This was no ordinary proposal. This wasn't just, _Sire, may I have your daughter's hand in marriage?_ This was, _Sire, may I have you kingdom? _This wasn't just,_ Rapunzel, will you marry me? _This was, _Rapunzel, will you rule with me? _And Eugene had a million and one reasons to be scared out of his mind. Aside from the normal stuff, awkward shyness and nervousness, the uncertainty of what to say or how to go about the actions, as if that alone wasn't enough to drive him insane, he had a thousand other worries.

What if The King rejected him? What would he do then? Elopement was out of the question. No matter how much they loved one another, Eugene was convinced that Rapunzel would never choose _him_ over her family and her kingdom. Worse: what if The King _accepted_ him? _Then_ what was he in for? He almost swooned to the floor every time he pictured it.

His Royal Highness, King Eugene Fitzherbert, wearing on his head the very crown he once attempted to steal from the palace, and on his finger the seal that once stamped his wanted posters. The responsibilities, the expectations… it was enough to make a man sick at the thought.

Maximus was right where Eugene left him, grazing on green grass in the courtyard, (the horse's favorite thing to do besides eating the apples from the trees in the palace orchard). This wasn't the first attempt Eugene had made to inquire of The King, and every time Maximus had waited faithfully in the courtyard. As he approached, the steed lifted his head, eyes wide and ears perked, as if to say _Did you ask him? Did you ask him? _

"No ring shopping yet, Max."

Maximus dropped his head and snorted, glaring reproachfully.

"Don't give me that look! I panicked, ok? I need more time. This isn't as easy as I thought it would be—"

The horse's eyes rolled into the back of his head when he snorted again, this time letting out a sort of infuriated sigh. Though he couldn't speak, Maximus never hesitated in expressing his thoughts on the matter, and he seemed to get more and more frustrated every time. Just another thing to drive the ex-bandit crazy.

"Max, _look at me_…" Eugene grabbed Max by the ears firmly, pulling his head up to eye level, "Do you know what The King told me today? I mean, not that I didn't already _know_, but now it's set in stone. Whoever Rapunzel marries is officially the royal heir to the throne. That means _King_, Maximus. _Me_… _King_."

The horse nodded, as if to say, _Duh_.

"Oh come on Max!" Eugene exploded, shaking his friend's head vigorously by the ears, "You _know_ what a lousy king I would make!"

After a moment, Maximus neighed in agreement: _Well, now that you mention it… _

Eugene sighed. "Thanks for the encouragement."

Pushing Maximus away by the ears, he dropped his face in his hands pathetically. _Who I am kidding? Me, King?_ He didn't know anything about running a kingdom! A year ago, he was a criminal! And not just any criminal, but the kingdom's most wanted, his face and false name pasted all over the kingdom. He was blessed to have the smidgen of respect from the people that he did; several had been skeptical when he was first presented to the kingdom, and he didn't blame them one bit. It was all he'd ever been known as: Flynn Rider, thief, wanted dead or alive, by royal decree of the king of Corona. Lousy, lying, greedy, selfish filth… the last thing the people would ever want for their ruler.

For just a moment, he wondered what Rapunzel might do if she were standing next to him, reading his thoughts. _She'd probably punch me and tell me to suck it up,_ he thought, smiling to himself at the thought of the tiny brunette he loved giving him a sock in the arm. It wouldn't hurt, that was for sure, but it would make him feel a little less wimpy. That was Rapunzel, always knocking the sense into him, always making him stronger. From the very first day, when she'd clubbed him over the head with her frying pan, to the day he found himself staring up into her tear-filled eyes as all of his strength left his body . If only she knew about all his concerns; if only he didn't have to keep the situation a surprise for her. _She'd_ give him courage.

_Thieves, thugs, witches, death itself; we've been through so much together. This should be a cinch… _

He found himself sighing again. "Who am I kidding, Max?" he said dejectedly, petting the steed's main absentminded, "Me, King? They'd never give their kingdom over to someone like me, let alone their only daughter. I'm lucky to ever even get invited to dinner at the palace."

"Is everything all right Eugene?"

The sudden voice behind him nearly scared the boots off of him. He whipped around. "Your Majesty!"

The Queen was a wonderful woman. In many ways, she reminded Eugene of Rapunzel. She was kind, gentle, showing nothing but the utmost love to her family and her kingdom. Eugene could hardly understand how anyone in the kingdom could take one look at The Queen and The Princess side by side and not believe them to be mother and daughter. The Queen was an incredible woman. But she was _so_ bad about sneaking up him.

"Your Majesty, he he…" he laughed awkwardly, staring into the bright green eyes that he'd come face to face with. She wore a cheerful countenance, completely innocent of any suspicion. Nonetheless, he suddenly felt very unsafe, "If I may ask, milady, um… how long have you been standing there?"

The Queen smiled, her eyes laughing. "Only a moment's time." she answered, then averted attention to the steed, "Why hello Maximus."

Maximus nickered delightedly, reaching out his neck so that The Queen could stroke his mane. Whenever he met The Queen, or Rapunzel, sometimes even The King himself, Maximus became an absolute puppy dog. It always made Eugene smile. There was just something about this family; if they ever needed to, anyone of them could tame dragons and giants with their gentle hands.

"What a good boy you are," The Queen laughed as Maximus relished his pettings, his eyes brightening even more when The Queen produced a handful of sugar cubes and held them to his snout. At last, she looked back to Eugene. "And how are you today, Sir Fitzherbert?"

"Me?" Eugene coughed, "Oh, I'm just fine. Thank you milady. And yourself?"

"Splendid! I'm quite well, thank you; it's such a beautiful day. I was just on my way to see my husband about some dinner plans. In fact, I'm glad to have met you along the way. Sir Fitzherbert, would you be willing to dine with us tonight? That is if you're not otherwise engaged of course."

_What irony._

"…Dine? With you? At the… the King's table, milady…"

"But of course!" said The Queen, "We'll be having another guest tonight, you see. And poor Rapunzel, well you know she's still rather uncomfortable about meeting new people…"

He found _that_ hard to believe.

"Anyway, I'm sure she'd be much more comfortable with you by her side this evening. And my husband and I owe you a good dinner anyway, so, won't you join us?"

Maximus nudged hard in side, ordering him to accept.

"Anything the princess, your highness."

As if The Queen's eyes couldn't get any brighter, they lit up like they Festival of Lights. "Fantastic! She'll be overjoyed to know." she touched his cheek briefly, "You such a blessing to us Eugene. Good day to the both of you!" And with that, The Queen swept away.

_Blessing, yeah right._

Ok, so that excuse was gone. He'd now officially been invited to dinner at the palace, and had been told he was a "blessing" of sorts. Behind him, Max nickered mockingly.

"Oh shut up," Eugene grumbled, "That was a complete coincidence, Max."

The horse snorted.

"_Yes_ I'm going to ask him!" The knight snapped, not knowing how much truth there was in that promise, "Eventually."

**Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for your comments! I was very encouraged to know that so many of you were actually **_**looking**_** for a story like this, about Eugene taking on the throne. My apologies for the wait :( I know I said that the chapters would come faster than this. Unfortunately, I'm a very perfectionist writer and it usually takes me a while. My hope is that I'll be able to whip these out faster as I go. **

**This was a more confusing chapter to write, especially trying to get inside Eugene's head, and the attempted communication with Maximus. Please tell me what you thought! On my word, Rapunzel will be in the next chapter :)**

**God bless you all and have a great Labor Day weekend! —Story **


	4. Formality

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tangled or any of its—Wait! I own it on DVD! Does that count?**

Chapter 3: Formality

Many believed in the legends of the Lost Princess. They heeded the stories of the aged witch, who had stolen the child on the evening of her birth, and raised her as her own in a hidden tower deep in the forest. They cherished the accounts of the Princess's journey, how she saw the lanterns and heeded the call of Destiny, fulfilling the dream in which the kingdom had so long remained steadfast and hopeful. They honored the magic of the healing flower, the sun's gift, and understood why the Princess's hair was no longer the color of the sun: it had been cut, and though the color had departed from her, the magic had not. They celebrated Maximus, the noble steed who upon his back had carried the Princess home, and honored Eugene Fitzherbert, once called Flynn Rider, the lowly thief who humbled himself and gave his life to save the Princess, and by the grace of Destiny and the power of the healing flower, was brought to life again. Some believed in the path that Destiny had chosen.

Some believed. Others didn't.

"Announcing His Honor Sir Eugene Fitzherbert the Savior, Seeker of the Lost Princess, Knight of Corona." said the footman, Eugene felt bad for having so many tittles attached to his name.

As he thanked the footman and walked through the doors that were opened for him, he found himself in a great, red room of scarlet carpets and crimson tapestries. To his left was a winding stair case, leading up to other palace chambers. To his right was pair of heavy, sun-crested doors that lead out to a moonlit balcony; the balcony where the first lantern of the Festival of Lights was launched every year; the very balcony where he had once stood with Rapunzel, waiting for the King and Queen to meet them for the first time. The hallway that sat directly before him led to a soft, yellow glow of the castle dining area.

It was by some odd coincidence, or perhaps by something that wasn't coincidence at all, that he'd been invited to dine at the palace tonight. No doubt it was Rapunzel's idea; he'd acted as her escort to plenty of balls and banquets before. But only the highest in the royal court ever actually dined _with_ the King, Queen and Princess _in_ their own home. Maybe, just maybe, if his manners could pull through tonight, he was in.

The King, light in conversation with an unfamiliar dinner guest, turned to welcome Eugene as he walked in. "Ah, here's Eugene!" he said, striding over to shake the knight's hand, "Splendid of you to join us this evening."

Eugene smiled and accepted the King's firm handshake. "Thank you for inviting me Sir."

His Majesty laughed. "You're welcome my boy, but the credit's rightly due to Rapunzel."

Noticing that the King had called him by his first name, Eugene looked up and down His Majesty's figure. He was not wearing the royal crown, nor was he dressed the way he would be if he'd been going to a ball or another's palace. His attire was simple; he was still dressed like a king, but it was casual, normal dress, like he might wear in the library or during a meeting among Lords. Eugene had polished his boots, cleaned his linen, pressed his pants, put on his best black leather vest and sifted through an assortment of belts before he was ready, and he'd _still_ been afraid of showing up underdressed. Formality, he guessed with relief, wasn't too much of an issue on nights like these.

The King glanced briefly at the clock. "Well, my wife and daughter should be down shortly." he said to both Eugene and the other dinner guest, "In the meantime, Eugene; you've met my trusted advisor Lord Bastion, haven't you?"

As the second man, who was dressed in much more formal attire than the King and himself came forward, Eugene suddenly noticed that this unfamiliar dinner guest wasn't unfamiliar at all. In fact, he was more familiar than anyone in the palace court.

"Ah, yes Sir." he said uneasily, "I think I do."

Lord Bastion was a tall, stocky man with a square chin that was emphasized by a thick, rectangular mustache. He was arrayed lavishly in long purple robes and gold accessories, so much so that one would almost believe _he_ were the King instead of His Majesty. In this get up, Eugene hardly recognized his oldest nemesis, the man who'd wanted his head on a platter since he was twelve years old stealing rolls from the baker. All of the sudden, his hands were shaking again.

He hadn't expected to see the former Captain of the Guard here. He knew that Captain Bastion had been promoted to chief advisor shortly after he and Rapunzel had come to the palace, leaving the position of military general to Maximus. But there had been much less hype over the event, what with all the excitement about the return of the lost princess.

Much to Eugene's surprise, Lord Bastion gave something that looked like a forced smile under the caterpillar on his lip. "I believe we know each other quiet well in fact, You Majesty," he said in his low, gravelly voice, "But come, let's put the past behind us." he extend his hand to the young knight, "Pleasure to make your formal acquaintance… Sir Fitzherbert."

Eugene shook the Lord's hand, "The pleasure's all mine Sir." he said, smiling.

Lord Bastion's firm hand crushed his, but he refrained from wincing.

Presently, the queen came down, floating regally in her cream colored dress. "Well," she said, eyes smiling, "Rapunzel should be down in just a moment, and I see our company has all arrived. Good evening to you Lord Bastion." The queen greeted brightly.

"Ah, and good evening to you as well, My Lady Aurora!" Lord Bastion stepped forward chivalrously and he bent deeply to kiss the Queen's hand, "Thank you _ever_ so much having me." He cocked an eyebrow and positioned his lips one over top of the other: a smolder that Flynn Rider would've envied.

"Not at all," the Queen said cheerfully, "Elias and I have been meaning to host a dinner for the two noblest men in this kingdom." with that, she turned to the young knight who was shaking in his boots. "And Eugene! Thank you so much for joining us!"

He tried to think of something impressive to say; to come up with something charming and killer; to put on just enough of his old Flynn Rider swagger to put Lord Bastion to shame. But all he could do was smile, and say "Thank _you_, Milady," as he bent to kiss the queen's hand.

"My daughter will be most happy to see you," she said brightly, "Though you will have to pardon her for the wait."

The King chuckled. "Patience is a virtue with women. They take so long to pretty themselves up."

"And men take no time at all, for they care not what they look like!" said the Queen, rolling her smiling eyes. "Elias…" she reached up to straighten the medallion on her husband's chest, and the king erected his shoulders with pride. It was the most adorable sight one could imagine, so much so that Eugene felt he had to look away.

Contrary to the Queen's plea for pardon, Eugene didn't feel very patient. All of the sudden he wished with all of his heart that Rapunzel would come down quickly. He hadn't realized he'd gone an entire day without seeing her, a mentally stressfully day at that, and he suddenly felt deprived of her smile. Maybe it was the way King Elias looked at his wife as she smoothed the lapels of his coat. Maybe it was the way Lord Bastion seemed to be looking at _him_. He felt so small, so _awkward_ standing there by himself, an ex-wretch among royalty and nobility. He wanted his princess beside him _now_, some reason to hold his head high and feel like he belonged in the middle of this dinner party.

Then it happened, and he felt like it hadn't been any time at all.

"Announcing her Royal Highness Princess Rapunzel of Corona, to the glistening eastern sun."

The room went silent. The Queen smiled. The King's eyes went bright. There was a creek on the steps, then appeared the hem of a lilac colored dress, a skirt, a waistline, shoulders, a face, and the Princess of Corona was walking gracefully down the great scarlet staircase. A jeweled tiara rested in her perfect layers of brunette hair. He emerald eyes were as bright and smiling as her mother's, and she looked more regal and more beautiful than a thousand princesses in a thousand provinces could ever be.

For a girl who'd been raised in a tower her whole life, had never worn shoes, and was still learning to keep her balance with her new length of hair, it was an understatement to say that Rapunzel had come a long way. Only Eugene would've noticed her stiff demeanor, like she was focusing with all her might on not fainting back or tripping forward, and he was too busy standing slack-jawed and gaping in awe to notice.

When her eyes met his, they sparkled, and his heart went wild. She was excited; she'd been dying to see him too, so much so that she looked as if she wanted to burst with joy like she was so prone to do. He felt a playful grin spread wide across his face. She probably didn't even know how beautiful she looked right now, how bright she was shining. He winked at her, and a faint giggle that only he could hear escaped from her excited smile.

Of course, the moment was ruined when he heard Pascal, who was flattened and purple on her shoulder, make a small noise, and saw Rapunzel turned her head to the side and shush him nonchalantly.

"Oh Rapunzel," the Queen preened as she took her daughter by the hands, "You look like a dream."

The king chuckled. "Well now, I suppose it was worth the wait after all."

Rapunzel giggled. "Thank you mother," she said sweetly, then turned to her dinner guest, "And this must be Lord Bastion?"

The old advisor put on his flawless smolder again, but this time it was for Rapunzel. "Ah, my lady," he said suavely as he kissed the princess's hand, "Wonderful to finally meet you face to face. I must say you are _twice_ as beautiful in person as I have heard."

Flynn Rider cried out for mercy.

Much to the knight's amusement, Rapunzel didn't seem too impressed by these pick-up lines; she didn't even blush. A nod and a smile were her only gestures. "Thank you my Lord," she said brightly, "I've heard much of you, and of how you've helped my father over the years."

"Well, I do what I must for the good of our kingdom."

"I also heard that it was _your_ idea to call off the searches for me when I was a child."

Lord Bastion's smolder disappeared.

Eugene stifled a snort of laughter._ Epic win baby._

Finally, the Queen decided to intervene by suggesting that the party "away to the dining room before the meal grew cold" and took her husband by the arm. Rapunzel, following her mother's example, took the arm of her own escort. Though he felt proud, noble, like a true knight in shining armor whenever Rapunzel took his arm, the gesture was still something that Eugene hadn't quite gotten used to. It was all so… _formal_. Definitely not a word that described his relationship with the Rapunzel. It wasn't that he minded playing the part of chivalrous escort, treating the Princess with all the respect she deserved; quite the opposite actually. As close with Rapunzel as he was, which was closer than any man in the kingdom (he hoped), the humble page-boy vs. wealthy princess scenario just felt… different.

But when the King, the Queen, and Lord Bastion went on before them, and they followed arm in arm slowly behind, all formality disappeared, and it was just the two of them: Flynn and Blondie; Eugene and Rapunzel.

Rapunzel grabbed Eugene's arm with both hands. "I can't believe you _actually came!_" she whispered excitedly, bouncing up and down a little.

Eugene grinned, "What, did you think I was gonna skip out on free food and the bragging rights of dinning with royalty?"

Her eyes rolled, but her smile didn't disappear. "No. I mean, I knew you would come, it's just I'm so glad you actually did! It's so much more fun with you."

"Oh really?" his eyebrows went up, "Then how come I don't get invited more often?"

At this jest, Rapunzel's face fell. Immediately, he wished he could take it back.

"I'm just kidding." he reassured her with a warm smile.

She returned the smile sheepishly with a shrug of her shoulders, but then looked straight forward without saying anything. Taking it back wasn't enough; something else had to be said.

As tenderly as he possibly could, he learned in close to her, and whispered softly into her ear.

"You look great, by the way."

He could have chosen more sophisticated words. He could have said that she looked beautiful, lovely, unbelievable, all of which she was. But those kinds of words wouldn't have sounded right coming from Eugene Fitzherbert. They would have been too chivalrous, too sophisticated, too formal. He knew that a word like "great" was exactly what Rapunzel wanted to hear.

She smiled again, and hugged his arm affectionately. "Thanks."

Making absolutely sure that King nor Queen, nor advisor nor servant was observing, the ex-bandit dared to reach over and kiss his princess on the forward briefly. He'd given up on thieving for the rest of his life, but there was one that he would always have to steal.

**Hello again, all you wonderful, creative people! If you happen to review this chapter, I love you. End of story :)**

**Just as I promised, Rapunzel makes her appearance in this chapter! Originally there was going to be more to this chapter, but it was taking **_**extremely long**_** to write. So rather than rushing the writing process and keep all you lovely people waiting, I've decided to go ahead and post it into two parts. So just as a heads up, the dinner party will continue in the next chapter. Stay tuned!**

**So, what did you think of Lord Bastion? In case you may not have figured it out, Lord Bastion in actually the Captain of the Guard who is tracking Flynn and Rapunzel in the movie. He doesn't have a name in the credits, so I took the liberty of naming him myself, as well as Rapunzel's parents, King Elias and Queen Aurora. Here's a little fun fact for you all to chew on: all three of these people were all named after a specific person that has **_**something**_** to do with Disney. Any guesses? Please leave them in reviews or send them to me in a message, and maybe… **_**just maybe**_**… I'll give cameos to the people who get them right :)**

**I feel that this chapter is very rushed, so honest opinions please!**

**Thank you all for reading once again! God bless!**

**-Story **


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